Background and Context: Quit Victoria, Cancer Council Victoria, Heart Foundation and AMA Victoria have been advocating for several years for the introduction of a statewide ban on smoking in outdoor dining and drinking areas in Victoria. Victoria is the only state that has not already introduced or committed to introducing such a ban.
Aim: To mobilize donors and supporters of our organisations to demonstrate the widespread public support for smokefree outdoor dining and drinking areas by providing a platform for them to send a submission to an existing government consultation on plans to ban smoking in other outdoor areas and ask the Government to extend the proposed legislation to include outdoor dining and drinking areas.
Strategy/Tactics: A website and tagline were developed as well as images to share on social media. The website allowed users to send a pro-forma email to their local MP, the Minister for Health and the Premier about the issue as well as to the government consultation.Several EDMs were sent to Cancer Council donor lists as well as partner lists. Responses were also boosted through social media and unpaid media stories as well as enlisting more than 200 cancer clinicians to participate in the campaign and call on the Government to introduce a ban.
Programme/Policy Process: The campaign far exceeded its target of 5000 submissions with almost 7000 Victorians taking part.
Outcomes/What was learned: Email by far the most powerful way to solicit supporters to take an online action compared to social media, unpaid media and other awareness-raising tools. Donors can be approached to take part in advocacy without harmful effects.